Read the text of the prayer offered by President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, to dedicate the Urdaneta Philippines Temple on Sunday, April 28, 2024.
Our Father in Heaven: As Thy grateful children, we approach thee in prayer on this sacred occasion when, by the power of Thy holy priesthood, we will dedicate this Urdaneta Philippines Temple unto Thee and Thy Beloved Son.
We thank Thee for the plan Thou hast established for the eternal life of Thy children. We thank Thee for Thine Only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, for His Resurrection for our immortality, for His Atonement for our repented sins and for His experiencing all of our pains and infirmities that He may strengthen us in our infirmities.
We thank Thee for the Restoration of the gospel, beginning with Thy appearance with Thine only Begotten Son to the Prophet Joseph Smith, whom Thou hast called to bring forth the Book of Mormon as another witness of Thy Son and of Thy plan of happiness for Thy children.
We thank Thee for Thy blessings to this Philippine nation and its citizens and pray that Thou wilt inspire and strengthen its leaders and all who seek to preserve its independence and administer its government with wisdom and justice for all.
We thank Thee for the faith and devotion of those who initiated Thy work in this nation and for their posterity and others whose righteous living and growing numbers have firmly established it here.
We pray for our missionaries and for the rising generation — that they may teach the truths of Thy gospel and manifest them in wise choices and activities.
We thank Thee for Thy Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, from whom we have heard in this meeting. Please prolong his life and continue to reveal to him Thy will for the progress of Thy work among Thy covenant children and all Thy other children throughout the world.
Please bless the president of this temple, the matron who works at his side, his counselors and her assistants and all others who work under their direction as they exercise the authority of Thy holy priesthood in this house of the Lord.
We pray that Thou wilt protect this temple and all of its surrounding facilities from every destructive influence of any kind.
Now, Beloved Father in Heaven, by the authority of the holy Melchizedek Priesthood, we dedicate and consecrate unto Thee this Urdaneta Philippines Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We dedicate unto Thee this sacred structure and its surroundings for their holy purposes, including the ancillary facilities, including the welcome and distribution centers, housing, grounds and landscaping. We dedicate this entire temple to perform its sacred functions, the baptistry, the ordinance and sealing rooms, the celestial room and all the other locations in this holy house. We invoke Thy power to assure that Thy Spirit and Thy glory will always be present here and upon all Thy sacred work that will be done here.
And now we dedicate and consecrate this house of the Lord, which we now present unto Thee and to Thy Beloved Son, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
